Great frigatebird - photographed while passing through the Panama Canal

Great frigatebirds, male and female, above our ship in the Panama Canal.

Not to be confused with magnificent frigatebirds, great frigatebirds are a touch smaller, although they come in with wingspans surpassing two meters.  The wings of all frigatebirds are amazing structures, giving a surface area to weight ratio greater than any other living bird species.

Their silhouette is unmistakable.  They are seen in tropical waters around the world's oceans.  Their narrow, bent wings, short necks, and long tails that are V-shaped identify them immediately.  I have seen them only twice, both times on cruises, once in the Caribbean and once in the Pacific near Middle Male frigatebirds have the large red throat that you may know about, the females do not.  They all eat marine creatures such as fish, squid, and crustaceans.  They pick these morsels from the water's surface but aren't above harrassing other birds to give up their bounty.  Their aggressive behaviour towards other marine bird species has led to the nickname "Man-o-war birds."

It is hard to get a decent shot of them because of the height at which they soar.  Most of the time, they can be seen only as a modest-sized speck in my viewfinder.  I was fortunate today to be able to photograph these two birds that were flying together.  They passed above us as we began our travels through the Panama Canal.

Unlike other pelagic birds of the sea, they do not settle on water.  Their ability to soar for great distances precludes their need of that; land is always just a soar away.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com